Match-safe.



@Hom un! PATENTED JULY 1l, 1905.

B. P. PULGHAM.v

MATCH SAFE APPLICATION FILED APR.6. 1905.

UNITED STATES Patented July 11, 1905.

PATENT QEETCE.

MATCH-SAFE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 7945603, dated July 11i, 1905.

Application filed April 6, 1905. Serial No. 254,206.

Be it known that I, BENJAMAN F. FULGHAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hartshorne, in the Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Match-Safes; and I do declare the following to beafull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in match boxes or-safes, and more particularly to match striking or igniting means therefor.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive, and efficient device of this character by means of which the match may be struck or ignited as it is pulled from the box.

With the above and other objects in view theinvention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination, and arrangements of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a match-box constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional View taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

The embodiment of my invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings is shown as applied to a pocket match box or safe 1; but it will be understood that the same may be applied to various other forms of match-holding receptacles or containers. The matchbox 1 is of the usual rectangular form and has a swinging cover 2, which is hinged at one end, as shown at 3, and has at its opposite end a small opening or recess 4, adapted to receive the detent 5 of a spring-catch 6. This catch is in the form of a spring-plate secured upon the inner side of the box 1 and having upon its outer face a button 7, which projects through an opening 8, formed in the box, so that when said button is pressed inwardly the detent will be disengaged from the opening 4 to permit the cover to be readily swung open either by hand or by a suitable spring provided at its hinged end.

My improved match striking or igniting device 9 is located within the box and consists of a series of spring-plates 11, between which the matches are placed. These plates are preferably three in number and are of substantially the same depth as the interior of the box. They are preferably formed of two pieces of material, one piece being bent upon itself to form two of the plates and the other piece being placed between the said two plates and secured by soldering the lower outwardlybent portions 11 of its inner end, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 4. The plates 10 are secured within the box by a screw 12, which is passed through the bottom and into said plates, as shown. The upper ends of the plates 10 have their opposing faces formed or provided with striking or friction surfaces 13, which may be of any desired character. As shown in the drawings, these surfaces are formed by roughening said portions of the plates by means of a punch or other instrument; but it will be understood that this roughened surface may be formed upon or applied to the plates in any desired manner. In order to permit the plates to be forced together to firmly engage amatch as it is drawn from the box and ignited, I provide in the opposing side walls of the box 1 alining openings 14, which in turn register or aline with buttons or projections 15, provided upon the outer plates 10. These buttons may be formed by stamping out a portion of said plates, as shown in Fig. 2, or they may be in the form of lugs or disks, of rubber or any other suitable material, secured upon the outer faces of said plates.

Y In order to. permit the match-box to be readily pulled out of ones pocket and to prevent the same from being misplaced or lost, I preferably provide upon the screw 12 a swiveled plate or yoke 16, in the ends of which is secured an eye or ring 17. This ring is adapted to be engaged by a snap-hook or similar device 18 upon one end of a chain or cord. The construction, use, and advantages of the invention will be readily understood from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

It will be seen that when a match is drawn from between the spring-plates 10 and the latter are pressed together by pressing upon the buttons l5 it will be struck or ignited as its head passes between the friction-surfaces at the upper ends of the said plates.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A match box or safe, comprising a suitable receptacle having alining openings in its opposing walls` a plurality of spring-plates with- .in said receptacle, having friction-surfaces nesses.

BENJAMAN F. FULGHAM. Witnesses:

JAMES M. LEDBETTER, W. R. PATTERSON. 

